Ah, the Gap. Now I have not shopped there in ages, but from what I can tell as a passer-by, they seem to be doing pretty well. It is for this reason, that I am confused and appalled at the newley designed Gap logo–and I’m not the only one.

When the company released the logo last week, there was a flutter on Twitter about the well, ugliness of the new logo. More than that, people where asking, why? As the old adage goes, If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Why mess with a beautiful and iconic logo that has served you well for years? Often times, companies look to create new logos as a way to breathe life into a (perceived) dying brand.

The case of the Failing of the Gap is similar to that of the Tropicana Debacle of 2009 and demonstrates the dire need for anthropologists as part of a Business’ branding/marketing/communication process. The company created a logo that went against not only design aesthetics, but those of consumer’s brain.

When words overlap with images, as in the unsuccessful Gap logo, our brain tends to bypass the word and focus on the image. So we ignore the “p” when it’s placed over the blue box (for the Gap name, that’s a big fail).

We’re hardwired to avoid sharp edges because in nature they represent a threat. The sharp edge of the box cutting into the curved “p” is unappealing for that reason.

Being a little funky appeals to the brain. The original Gap typeface was unusual enough to stand out from the crowd. The new one, on the other hand, is boring old Helvetica.

The brain loves high contrast. In the original logo, white letters “pop” against a dark blue background. In the new logo, the blue box weakens the black/white contrast.

It’s hard to believe that after the Tropicana fiasco that a company would so blindly change their logo without consulting you know, some sort of Consumer Anthropologist or even the cool guys at NeuroFocus. It just demonstrates the big business has yet to embrace the new world of marketing research and how without it, they will inevitably fail and lose millions of dollars.

So, to all you big business CEOs out there, pay attention! We Consumer Anthropologists are out there, ready to help your brand be better! You just need to reach for the phone and call us.

CNN recently published an article entitled, “Is ethnic beauty the new ‘it’ factor?” Now the fact that we’re having this conversation makes me incredibly excited because it means America, is starting to accept a wider definition of beauty.

The article goes on to talk about how there has been a great call for ethnic women (Beyonce, Kim Kardashian) in fashion magazines in an effort to appeal to a global ideal of beauty. In addition, more white women are tanning and straightening their hair in an effort to emulate their Asian sisters.

It’s wonderful that the definition of beauty is beginning to expand to include other races, though I can’t help but think that this article is a bit short sighted. It discusses how American (read: white) women are changing their bodies in order to emulate a more ethnic ideal. I’m glad American women are embracing their ethnic roots, or wannabe ethnic roots, but what about the REST of us non-white Americans?

So we talk about American women embracing an ethnic ideal, but perhaps it’s the other way around for women of ethnicity? Let’s take our girl Beyonce for example. She’s curvy. She’s tan. And she’s got, (hold the phone) blond hair.

Now, considering Beyonce’s roots and ethnicity, I’m to go ahead and say she’s not a natural blond. In fact, she’s probably far from a natural blond, but the point here is that she morphed herself to meet an image. And that image at the time, was that of (perhaps) a Stepford Wife.

It is telling that she, as a women of ethnicity, was attempting to morph herself into an image of ‘ideal American beauty.’ It seems to me that while CNN reported about white women going ethnic, they failed to point out that some ethnic women are going white.

In the world of Anthropology, we often talk about the Anglo-perspective. Where, we as Americans considering our point of view, to be the world’s point of view. With globalization though, we are quickly learning that we are NOT the only one’s on this planet and in fact, our perspective is very often not shared globally.

I think this CNN Article, does an excellent job of pointing out the shift in ideal beauty in America, but does so from a decidedly Anglo perspective. As we embrace ‘ethnic’ beauty, perhaps its time we also examine ethnic beauty and understand how THAT is shifting in this global marketplace. Moreover, how do we define ethnic beauty in this global world? Is it simply the opposite of what the norm once was or is it something more?

I, like most of the world am a huge fan of Football, aka Soccer here in America. A couple of weeks a go, as I was contemplating my own World Cup bracket I came across this amazing Infograph published by SectionDesign via Information is Beautiful.

Now this graph is not only beautiful but a perfect example of how culture influences a nation. This graph uses GDP, population and Football experience as a way to predict the outcome of World Cup 2010. I wonder perhaps if we included dominant religion or attitudes towards sports if the outcome would be similar. I wonder if being a machismo society has anything to do with the outcome of a country in this World Cup.

What are you thoughts? Do you think its possible for a country with little experience and a low GDP to make it to the semifinals in this game?

As many of you know, I’ve been conducting a lot of informational interviews with people in my industry. I figured I would share what I’ve learned and have posted some of my thoughts on my friend Linda’s Blog, Musings of an Unemployed MBA Graduate.

Take a moment to visit her blog and investigate the tips and tricks she posts on finding the perfect job for you!

I believe that if a company is going to be truly successful, they must first and foremost REALLY understand their consumer. That understanding does not come through focus groups or market intercepts. It does not come through product testing or self-administered questionnaires. These are all merely tools used to understand consumers, but they are not the key.

They key, my friends in Anthropology. Human beings are complex (understatement of the century), and their complexities are only amplified by our modern materialistic tendencies. Anthropology provides us naked and raw understanding of human behavior, innate attitudes and needs. Through this understanding of cultures and societies, business can develop products that above all else, fit the need of the consumer.

And so, I believe that the time has come to bring Anthropology into the glitz and glamor of marketing research. This blog takes a look at some of the issues today in the business world and demonstrates that with a little bit of anthropological perspective, things can change for the better.